Cardboard tray for cylindrical packs

ABSTRACT

A cardboard tray for cylindrical packs having a base section, parallel to the longitudinal edges of which are arranged receivers aligned in longitudinal rows for longitudinal rows of packs. The technical problem is to reduce the consumption of materials and to utilize the space better within a stack, as well as to improve the functional value of the cardboard trays. Adjacent longitudinal rows of receivers are displaced relative to one another. The transverse edges of the base section follow a meandering line, and the base section has cut-in border flanges which are bent up and joined.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cardboard tray for cylindrical packs having abase section, parallel to the longitudinal edges of which are arrangedreceivers aligned in longitudinal rows for longitudinal rows of packs.The field of application of the invention comprises beaker packs, suchas yoghurt packs, drink packs, cans, jars or the like.

PRIOR ART

A cardboard tray of this type is known from DE-OS 36 37 911. Thecardboard tray has a rectangular outline. The cut-outs for the beakerpacks are arranged in rows parallel to the longitudinal edge and to thetransverse edge of the cardboard tray. The cardboard tray thus requiresa corresponding material blank and also a corresponding stacking andtransportation space on the pallets for handling the beaker packs in theincubation chambers and cooling chambers and during transportation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to reduce the consumption of materialsand to utilize better the space within a stack, as well as to improvethe functional value of the cardboard trays.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that adjacentlongitudinal rows of the receivers are displaced relative to oneanother, in that the transverse edges of the base section follow ameandering line, and in that the base section has cut-in border flangesbent upwards and joined.

The invention differs from the prior art in that the rows of packswithin the cardboard tray are displaced relative to one another, so thatthe packs can be packed more densely on the cardboard tray. This resultsin a considerable reduction in the consumption of materials for thecardboard tray. In addition, during handling of the packs, in particularduring incubation of yogurt formulations, the base section is preventedfrom sticking or adhering to the lids of a layer of packs underneath.Finally, adjacent cardboard trays can be placed closely side by side andinterlinked with their transverse edges, so that not only the spacerequirement on the pallet but also the cohesion of the stack isimproved. The space utilization is thus increased and the spacerequirement in the incubating chamber and cooling chamber and duringtransportation is reduced. Corresponding savings in space are alsoachieved in the case of drink bottles, drink cans, jars or the like.

Beaker packs are mainly referred to below. These are also understood asmeaning, however, drinking vessels for drink formulations, cans fordrinks, preserves and other foodstuffs, or jars and other articles.

For centering and holding the beaker packs to be accommodated, theinvention proposes that the receivers are constructed as cleanly cut,upright attachments of the base section.

In another embodiment, it is proposed for centering that the receiversare constructed as cut-outs in a top blank which joins the borderflanges of the base section to one another. The stabilization of thebeaker packs within the receivers achieved in this way also allows thecardboard trays to be placed directly in an inclined sales rack. Thebeaker packs can then be removed individually, without all the beakerpacks becoming disordered when one beaker pack is removed.

A particularly advantageous utilization of space is achieved by the factthat adjacent longitudinal rows are in each case displaced relative toone another by half the separation of the receivers.

So that adjacent cardboard trays can be placed close to one another, itis proposed that the meandering lines of the two transverse edges of acardboard tray are constructed to match one another in pairs.

To increase the packing density of the beaker packs, it is proposed thatthe receivers of adjacent longitudinal rows are pushed into one anotherin the transverse direction. The beaker packs can in this way beaccommodated on the cardboard tray in the densest possible arrangement.

To stabilize the base section and for simple production of the cardboardtray, it is proposed that the sections of the border flanges are joinedby overlapping joins after being bent upwards. The join is preferablyconstructed as a glued join.

So that constant stabilization by border flanges is also guaranteed onthe meandering transverse edges, the invention provides for borderflanges to be cut into the sections of the transverse edges runningperpendicular to the longitudinal edges.

By a particular design of the blank, the invention also allows acontinuous join of the border flanges to the tuck-in transverse edge, sothat a right-edged recess with out-in border flanges is provided on thetuck-in part of the transverse edge and sections of border flanges whichoverlap the recess are provided on the transverse edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to thedrawings attached, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a plan view of a cardboard tray according to theinvention,

FIG. 2 represents a side view of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 represents a developed view of a blank,

FIG. 4 represents a cardboard tray, with receivers, formed from thisblank, in plan view,

FIG. 5 represents a section of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 represents a plan view of a modified cardboard tray,

FIG. 7 represents a folded-over version of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 represents a plan view of another embodiment of a cardboard trayand

FIG. 9 represents a folded-over version of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OFTHE INVENTION

The cardboard tray according to FIG. 1 and 2 includes two blanks, thatis to say a base section 1 and a top blank 2. Both blanks are made ofcardboard. The base section 1 is made of corrugated cardboard and thetop blank 2 of solid cardboard. This also provides the possibility ofconstructing the cardboard trays in different ways, in particular incolored form or with an appropriate print.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the cardboard tray. The numerous receivers3, 4, 5, 6 in the form of cut-outs for beaker packs, which are notshown, can be seen in the top blank. In FIG. 1, the outlines of thereceivers are drawn in with the particular separating lines and scoredfolding lines. After bending, parts of the clean cuts serve as supportlegs 7 and corresponding sections serve as adhesive feet 8, which arestuck onto the base section, as can be seen from FIG. 2. According tothe diagram in FIG. 1 and 2, the support legs 7 are arranged indifferent directions, that is to say in some cases parallel to thelongitudinal edges and in some cases parallel to the transverse edges,in order to increase the stability of the cardboard tray in this way.The figures show a cardboard tray for 5×4 beaker packs. A cardboard trayfor 4×3 beaker packs can be constructed correspondingly.

The receivers 3 and the receivers 4 of adjacent longitudinal rows aredisplaced relative to one another in the longitudinal direction by halfthe separation of the centers of the receivers. In the transversedirection, the receivers of adjacent longitudinal rows are partly pushedinto one another, that is to say the separation of the joining lines ofthe receivers of adjacent longitudinal rows is smaller than theseparation of the center of two receivers within one longitudinal row.This results in a particularly dense arrangement of the receivers andtherefore a dense arrangement of the beaker packs on the cardboard tray.The transverse edges are constructed as meandering lines 9, themeandering lines 9 and 10 of the right-hand and left-hand transverseedge matching one another in pairs, so that the longitudinal edges ofadjacent cardboard trays can be pushed into one another in a positivefit, as is shown in the right-hand part of FIG. 1. Mutual interlockingand stabilization of the cardboard trays within the stack on atransportation pallet is obtained in this way.

A considerable saving in materials is achieved according to theinvention, since the receivers are crowded together and the packingdensity of the beaker packs is increased. The space requirement withinthe stack of cardboard trays is also reduced. Five cardboard traysaccording to the invention can be arranged side by side on a customarystandard pallet by using the invention, compared with four cardboardtrays according to the prior art. This means an increase in spaceutilization of 25 per cent. A further increase in space utilizationresults by the mutual displacement and interconnection. The spacerequirement within the incubating chamber and the cooling chamber andthe transportation requirement needed are thus also reduced. Thisincreases the profitability of the cardboard tray according to theinvention to an exceptional degree. The different choice of material forthe base section and the top blank allows adaptation to the necessaryloads and prevents adhesion or sticking of the top blank to the lid ofbeaker packs in a layer underneath. By using corrugated cardboard forthe base section and by the interlocking at the transverse edges ofadjacent cardboard trays, a considerably higher stability and rigidityof the stack of cardboard trays on a pallet is achieved. The arrangementof the support feet in different alignments results in an improvedaeration of the pallet.

According to the invention, a cardboard tray comprising a base sectionwith surrounding border flanges can also be provided. FIG. 3 shows thedeveloped view of a corresponding blank. The base section 11 has atrapezoidal attachment 12 on one transverse edge. A right-edged recess13 is provided on the opposite transverse edge. Sections 14, 15, 16, 17of border flanges 19 sit in each case on the transverse edges runningparallel to the longitudinal edges. These sections are in some cases cutcleanly and scored. Border flanges 18 are also cut in on thelongitudinal edges. The border flanges are erected vertically and foldedin accordance with the edge lines of the transverse edges. This can beseen from FIG. 4, which shows the base section 11 with surroundingborder flanges 18 and 19. After erection, sections 14 to 17 are foldedto overlap and are glued to one another. An exceptionally stableconstruction of the base section is obtained in this way.

Receivers are constructed in each case in three longitudinal rows bycleanly cut, upright flap-like attachments 20. These attachments 20match the base of the particular beaker pack and allow longitudinal rowsof beaker packs to be installed. The cardboard tray according to FIG. 3to 5 is constructed for three rows of 4 beaker packs each. Here also,the same saving in space is achieved within the cardboard tray. Thiscardboard tray can be placed in a sales rack in an inclined position.The beaker packs can easily be removed individually, without theremaining beaker packs becoming disordered.

A modified embodiment of a cardboard tray is shown in FIG. 6 and 7. Thisdiffers from the embodiment described above by the attachments 21 forthe receivers. In this case, the attachments are constructed as cleanlycut, angled flanges, as can be seen in particular from FIG. 7. Thisarrangement of the cut-out is completely adequate for centering andholding the beaker packs.

A further modification of the invention, according to FIG. 8 and 9,provides a top blank 22 which joins opposite border flanges 19 of thecardboard tray. The top blank has cut-outs 23 as receivers. Support feet24 are cleanly out and bent over in the cut-outs 23. The support feetare glued to bent-over flaps on the base wall. The outer edges of thetop blank 22 have recesses 26 corresponding to the shape of the beakerpacks, so that the outer rows of beaker packs are also centered by thetop blank 22.

I claim:
 1. A cardboard tray for cylindrical packs, comprising:a basesection having longitudinal edges and transverse edges; and, receiversaligned in longitudinal rows for retaining longitudinal rows ofcylindrical packs, said receivers being arranged parallel to thelongitudinal edges of said base section, with adjacent longitudinal rowsof said receivers being displaced relative to one another, and said basesection having cut-in border flanges, said cut-in border flanges havingtransverse border flanges at each of said transverse edges with saidtransverse border flanges at each of said transverse edges being bent upand joined in a meandering configuration.
 2. The cardboard tray forcylindrical packs according to claim 1, wherein said receivers areconstructed as cleanly cut, upright attachments of said base section. 3.The cardboard tray for cylindrical packs according to claim 1, whereinsaid receivers are constructed as cutouts in a top bank, which joins thecut-in border flanges of said base section to one another.
 4. Thecardboard tray for cylindrical packs according to claim 3, wherein theadjacent longitudinal rows of said receivers are displaced relative toone another in a case by half of the separation of said receivers fromone another.
 5. The cardboard tray for cylindrical packs according toclaim 1, wherein the adjacent longitudinal rows of said receivers aredisplaced relative to one another in a case by half of the separation ofsaid receivers from one another.
 6. The cardboard tray for cylindricalpacks according to claim 1, wherein the cut-outs of the adjacentlongitudinal rows of said receivers are pushed inward toward one anotherin a traverse direction.
 7. The cardboard tray for cylindrical packsaccording to claim 1, wherein the cut-in border flanges of said basesection are comprised of four sections which are joined together byoverlapping joins after being bent up.
 8. The cardboard tray forcylindrical packs according to claim 1, wherein said traverse edge ofsaid base section of said cardboard tray forms said meandering linewhich complements the traverse edge of the base section of an adjacentcardboard tray.
 9. The cardboard tray for cylindrical packs according toclaim 10, wherein said traverse edge of said base section having acut-in section has a right-edged recess with said sections of saidborder flange overlapping said right-edged recess.